Former Orlando Pirates striker Andries Sebola says that the Sea Robbers need to be more consistent if they want to challenge Mamelodi Sundowns for the remainder of the season.
The Buccaneers entered the international break trailing Sundowns by a substantial 15 points, although they still have four games in hand over the defending champions, who sit comfortably at the top of the Betway Premiership table with 58 points from 23 matches.
Pirates might have 11 matches remaining this season, but their fate is no longer in their own hands. To keep their hopes of securing a 10th league title alive, they must rely on a slip-up from their rivals, while also delivering a flawless finish to their campaign.
Not much separates the two sides, but Pirates are paying the price for inconsistent performances, particularly their 2-0 loss against Marumo Gallants earlier this month. Their 2-1 victory over Sundowns has reignited hope, but Sebola believes that had they been more clinical, their title challenge would be firmly in their hands heading into the business end of the season.
“The most disappointing thing about Pirates is their lack of consistency,” Sebola told Independent Newspapers. “When they started dropping points, they allowed Sundowns to extend their lead at the top of the table.
“Their 2-1 win was a good result in terms of closing the gap, but moving forward, the key will be consistency and maintaining the required standards. The positive thing now is that the coach is introducing players who were not getting game time earlier in the season, which is a huge plus for him.”
The former Pirates striker acknowledges the positives in the team’s campaign but doubts that Sundowns, with their squad depth and quality, will drop many more points before the season ends.
“There is only a slim chance for them to catch up with Sundowns because Sundowns are not a team that easily lose two games in a row. Pirates must remain consistent to close the gap.
“The 2-1 win over Sundowns should have given them extra motivation, especially considering that they are still competing in other competitions, both locally and continentally, such as the CAF Champions League and Nedbank Cup.”
Sebola also dismissed claims that Pirates should have pursued players like Jayden Adams and Oswin Appollis, not only to strengthen their squad but also to prevent them from joining Sundowns.
“They have quality players, particularly in midfield. If you look at the match against Sundowns, when Makhehleni Makhaula started to tire, the team still had options like Thalente Mbatha.”
However, Sebola expressed disappointment with Patrick Maswanganyi’s form, suggesting that he needs to involve his teammates more in his play.
“I am disappointed with the form of Maswanganyi. Perhaps he needs to combine better with other players because sometimes he tends to play as an individual. That said, when he is absent, you can see Pirates miss him because he is very effective when playing centrally,” he concluded.
